Mindful Eating: Mindfulness Based – Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) Program
The Mindfulness Based – Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) program at University Hospitals teaches you how to eat mindfully by bringing attention and awareness to body and mind to transform perspectives, beliefs and behaviors.5 Program members have access to mindfulness and mindful eating one-on-one nutrition counseling and group classes.
To register or learn more about the program, contact the Mindful Eating team at MindfulEating@UHhospitals.org.
A Weight-Inclusive Approach to Nutritional Health and Well-Being
Focused on a weight-inclusive approach to nutritional health and well-being, our mindful eating program helps individuals develop a better relationship with food in body and mind.5 By cultivating mindful eating awareness and practices in the program, healthy eating habits can be improved.
The MB-EAT program is evidenced based, built on years of National Institute of Health (NIH) researched approaches.1 4 Clinical trials have shown this program reduces the occurrence and severity of uncontrolled eating.3 4 Mindful eating is associated with lower sugar intake and lower blood sugar.1 The research also shows a decrease in stress hormones like cortisol.1 2
MB-EAT Program Meditations
As a member of the MB-EAT program, you have access to guided meditations that teach you to understand and practice mindfulness and mindful eating. Focus areas include general mindfulness, mindful eating, eating and hunger awareness, eating triggers, body scan/healing self touch, taste satiety, forgiveness, mindful choices and wisdom.
Are you already a registered participant in the program? Access your audio meditations and related materials.
Approaches for Improving Eating Behaviors
The MB-EAT program offers effective approaches for improving eating behaviors and health, including:
- Learn mindfulness meditation to ‘focus on the moment’.
- Increase self-awareness to identify and respond to physical hunger.
- Cultivate awareness related to emotional, social and environmental hunger triggers and mindfully learn how to respond.
- Understand the link between emotions and how stress influences eating.
- Learn how to make mindful food choices that nourish the body with a focus on quality.
- Increase self-awareness and response to physical fullness and satiety.
- Practice mindful eating to observe all the senses when eating.
- Learn how to savor food.
- Foster more mindful movements and/or exercise.
- Use curiosity to discover different aspects of eating and feeling without judgement.
- Develop the ability to approach yourself with kindness, forgiveness and self-soothing skills.
| M | I | N | D | F | U | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation to cultivate increased awareness and attention | Intention to develop changes to eating patterns such as the type of foofs being selected or to stop eating when the body has had enough | Nourishment by selecting foods the mind and body needs as well as the ability to nourish other aspects of life | Discernment or decisions to make beneficial food choices | Freedom from judgement and focused on the present moment | Unite mind, body and food choices to foster a positive relationship | Listen to what the mind and body need |
The practices in the MB-EAT program are proven to help develop mindfulness skills for eating and life. The program can help assist those who:
- Struggle with weight issues.
- Stress eat or eat to soothe emotions.
- Want to stop dieting.
- Seek a better relationship with food.
- Overeat, compulsively eat, binge eat or mindlessly eat.
- Enjoy eating food more while eating less or more depending upon needs.
- Want to learn how to nourish themselves.
For more information about the MB-EAT program at University Hospitals, contact the Mindful Eating team at MindfulEating@UHhospitals.org.
Spring 2026 Group Class
References
- Daubenmier J. et al. Effects of a mindfulness-based weight loss intervention in adults with obesity: A randomized clinical trial. 2016 Apr;24(4):794-804. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4898945/
- Daubenmier J, Kristeller J., Hecht F. et al.(2011). Mindfulness Intervention for Stress Eating to Reduce Cortisol and Abdominal Fat among Overweight and Obese Women: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Study. Journal of Obesity, 2011, 1-13.
https://www.mb-eat.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/daubenmier_et_al_2011_final_j_of_obesity.pdf - Kristeller, J. and Wolever, R.(2011) ‘Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training for Treating Binge Eating Disorder: The Conceptual Foundation’, Eating Disorders, 19: 1, 49 — 61. https://www.mb-eat.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/kristeller-wolever-bed-mb-eat-conceptual-paper.pdf
- Kristeller, J., Wolever, R., and Sheets, V. (2013). Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Treatment (MB-EAT) for Binge Eating Disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Mindfulness. https://www.mb-eat.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/miller-et-al.....jand266.pdf
- Mindful Eating Training Institute, METI International (2024). Mindful Eating and Living Professional Training, Mindfulness Based Eating Awareness (MB-EAT) Program. https://www.mindfuleatingtraining.com